Garmin Sleep Data Defined

Learn how the Garmin sleep data files are categorized and defined.

Note

This article covers sleep data files from Garmin Connect. For information about Garmin x Labfront's medical-grade sleep data (actigraphy), please refer to this article.

Sleep records from the Garmin Health API are labeled to identify how the sleep data was generated (see the table below). This allows researchers to accept/reject various methods of collecting sleep data. It’s recommended to filter out validation types that are not desired, as Garmin Connect displays records of all possible types by default. Therefore, Labfront will provide one sleep record for the same sleep event.

The data could be auto-confirmed, but the sleep window could have been manually adjusted, or the sleep data itself is entirely manually entered. Possible values:

VALIDATION METHOD	DESCRIPTION
MANUAL	The user entered sleep start and stop times manually through a web form. There is no device data backing up the sleep assessment.
DEVICE	The user used a device with the sleep feature to manually start and stop sleep. This type still requires manual user intervention to judge sleep start and stop.
OFF_WRIST	Device did not have enough heart rate data to make calculations for sleep levels Map. (device was off or too loose). Only start and end sleep times will be provided.
AUTO_TENTATIVE	The sleep start and stop times were auto-detected by Garmin Connect using accelerometer data. However, it is possible that further refinements to this sleep record will come later. This could be because the user is still asleep or could be because the user owns multiple devices and might sync another device later for this same time period.
AUTO_FINAL	The sleep start and stop times were auto-detected by Garmin Connect, and enough data has been gathered to finalize the window. This status also indicates that the user only has one device so this record can never be updated again – users that own multiple devices will never get an AUTO_FINAL.
AUTO_MANUAL	Sleep data was auto-detected by Garmin Connect, but the user is overriding the start and stop times or the user started with a manual entry and the sleep was auto-detected later. Garmin Connect stores both but will display the manual start and stop times in favor of the auto-detected times.
ENHANCED_TENTATIVE	Sleep data was collected from a device capable of running an enhanced sleep analysis to detect REM sleep, but an updated sleep summary record may come later with further refinements or a greater sleep period.
ENHANCED_FINAL	Sleep data was collected from a device capable of running an enhanced sleep analysis to detect REM sleep, and no further updates or refinements to this sleep analysis are expected.

NOTE

Many Garmin devices attempt to auto-sync data during the night while the user is asleep and the smartphone is charging. This may result in an incomplete Sleep summary record. It is important to update sleep data with the most recent data to get an accurate and full representation of the sleep window.

Generating Sleep Data

Users may generate sleep data in three different ways.

Some older Garmin devices (e.g. first generation vívofit) allow users to manually place the device in sleep mode.
Newer devices do not have this option and instead auto-detect sleep if it occurs between the user’s Bed/Wake time range configured in Garmin Connect.
Users may also self-report sleep information using Garmin Connect.

Tips For Getting Accurate Sleep Data

To ensure the most accurate sleep data:

Make sure that your sleep and wake windows are set correctly (see Setting Sleep and Wake Window Times in Garmin Connect). If your sleep schedule changes, update your sleep and wake windows to ensure the most accurate sleep measurement.
The watch must be worn at least two hours before bedtime. Many Garmin devices attempt to auto-sync data during the night while the user is asleep and the smartphone is charging. This may result in an incomplete Sleep summary record. It is important to update sleep data with the most recent data to get an accurate and full representation of the sleep window. You can refer to more details on How Does This Feature Work and Advanced Sleep Monitoring Watch Compatibility.

Understanding Sleep Summary Data

Unlike Daily Summaries which are associated with a given day on a midnight-to-midnight basis, Sleep Summaries are associated with a user’s overnight sleep range. Most will start on one calendar day and end on the next calendar day, but it is possible for two different Sleep Summaries to begin on the same day if, for example, the user goes to bed after midnight, wakes up, and then goes to bed prior to midnight the next evening.

However, it is worth mentioning that, for the sleep starting on one calendar day and ending on the next calendar day, the calendar date of the sleep summary would be the next calendar day.

💡 For more documentation on the various Garmin data types and their meanings, view our Data Documentation resource.

Sleep Data FAQs

How can I filter Garmin sleep data?

You can filter Garmin sleep data by accepting/rejecting different validation types. Garmin recommends keeping only one sleep record per event, preferring the record with the longest sleep period from the enhanced types or the auto type if there are no enhanced ones.

What does the "validation method" mean in the context of Garmin sleep data?

The validation method indicates how the sleep data was collected and confirmed. This could range from entirely manual entries to automatic detection by the Garmin Connect system using sensor data.

How is sleep data generated by users?

Users may generate sleep data in three different ways: manually putting the device in sleep mode (available in some older Garmin devices), allowing newer devices to auto-detect sleep based on the user's Bed/Wake time range configured in Garmin Connect, or self-reporting sleep information using Garmin Connect.

What steps can I take to ensure the most accurate sleep data collection?

To ensure the most accurate sleep data, make sure participants' sleep and wake windows are set correctly in Garmin Connect. The watch must also be worn at least two hours before bedtime, and it's important to update sleep data with the most recent data for an accurate representation of the sleep window.

Can I get any higher-quality sleep data?

Yep! With Labfront and Garmin's actigraphy solution, you can capture medical-grade sleep data using a Garmin smartwatch (95% accuracy when compared with leading actigraphic devices). Learn more here→

Additional Resources

Garmin Health Sleep Study Results

Garmin Health Sleep Score and Insights